do drakes ever drown ducks?

[Drk_Wlf]

YES... I was keeping Pekins and Mallards together and had to separate them cause I was worried the pekins who are both drakes were going to kill the mallard females. This is also the reason you see mallards in the wild that mate for life. The mortality rate of female is SUPER high so when a male find a female he sticks with her. Normally birds like ducks, geese, chickens ect. that have babies that can forage for themselves are not monogamous because the male is not needed to care for the young like in song birds that give birth to helpless young. There are exception of course ie. mallards, swans and some other water foul... ok I am done rambling now.

 

[desertdarlene]

I've never seen a wild mallard mate for life or a drake take any care of the ducklings at all.

 

[Drk_Wlf]

Quote:
The males don't help with the ducklings they just kind of stick around the same female. We have a pair that is in our pond every year after the chicks hatch he isn't around much though and of course I can't say its the same male. I just know that they are monogamous, I shouldn't of said mate for life more like mate for one mating season for convenience sake because one male is unlikely to find 2 female and if they leave the female unguarded another unmated male is likely to take advantage. I merely repeat what my animal behavior professor taught me, although that was a few years ago so I may not repeat it accurately.

 

[desertdarlene]

Oh, OK. That's what I've observed, too, mostly.

 

[sourland]

Multiple drakes breeding hens in unison or succession can definately drown the hens. Too many drakes in the flock is the quickest way to reduce the number of hens through drowning or physical damage. Ducks do not "make love" they breed. There is no emotion involved. When a mallard hen stops laying eggs and starts setting, her drake will take up with any hen that is available. The reason a drake pairs up with a hen is to assure that it his sperm that fertilizes her eggs. He is there to keep other drakes away. Although he may hang around the area, any hen that is available becomes fair game. It's all about making sure that his DNA carries on.

 

[hennyjenn]

Quote:
rotflmao

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I suppose it could happen with too many drakes, but Rouens prefere to breed in the water. The males have short legs and find it hard to mate with the female sometimes on land.

 

[Bliss Acres]

I started a different thread on this subject but there is some good advice in this thread too.. I have a drake that started with 3 girls of his own and another drake that has 2 of his own. One duck nested on eggs for several weeks and her drake became violent towards her and would not accept her back. He has bitten her to the point of head hunching and feather loss and she has become a loner both inside the coop and on the pond. I have tried isolating him for as long as 5 days at a stretch and it seems he only gets meaner towards her when he gets out. Today he went after her on the pond as soon as we let him out and at first glance, just seemed to be mating her. But it went on for several minutes and he kept pushing her head back under the water. Finally we scared him off. But even then he was running after her on land. He has tunnel vision with her and I fear he is going to kill her. The other drake pushes her away from the flock as well but not so viciously. Any suggestions? Thought about giving her away since the other 5 are fine together but I hate to have 2 drakes to 3 ducks. Thought about getting her another drake but thats not a good ratio either. Help!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I started a different thread on this subject but there is some good advice in this thread too.. I have a drake that started with 3 girls of his own and another drake that has 2 of his own. One duck nested on eggs for several weeks and her drake became violent towards her and would not accept her back. He has bitten her to the point of head hunching and feather loss and she has become a loner both inside the coop and on the pond. I have tried isolating him for as long as 5 days at a stretch and it seems he only gets meaner towards her when he gets out. Today he went after her on the pond as soon as we let him out and at first glance, just seemed to be mating her. But it went on for several minutes and he kept pushing her head back under the water. Finally we scared him off. But even then he was running after her on land. He has tunnel vision with her and I fear he is going to kill her. The other drake pushes her away from the flock as well but not so viciously. Any suggestions? Thought about giving her away since the other 5 are fine together but I hate to have 2 drakes to 3 ducks. Thought about getting her another drake but thats not a good ratio either. Help!

Best I see is getting a new home for the drake or keep him separated from her from now on.

 

[dazzleme]

I found one of my Rouen female dead in the pool today,

and I'm pretty sure it was my Pekin drake. I now only have one female Rouen and the murderous Pekin drake. I'm pretty sure he has chosen to mate for life with the girl I have left because they are always together and he would pick on the other girl. I kept saying that I was going to get rid of him but I never had the heart to. Once the babies from these guys are grown enough to go out with their mom (or aunt not sure what girl was the mom since both where laying eggs.) I'm getting ride of this guy. I didn't think they would drown but I guess they can.